A Special Song
by GoldGuardian2418
Summary: When Feedback is gone on a mission, Sparkle is sad and her aunt and uncle cheer her up. Rated K for all readers. Warning: may cause some tears.


**I only own Rachel and Sparkle.**

**A Special Song**

Feedback was packing a small bag for a long mission. He would be off on a far planet for a week and he was a bit worried. While the missions were always completed, he was worried about Sparkle.

She was almost four years old and she missed him when he was off on a mission. She would cry for him when he left and sometimes when he called, she would be crying because she missed him. It tore him that he couldn't comfort her when he was on a mission. Sighing, he went to find Rachel.

The owner of the Grant Mansion was currently making cookies, humming a favorite song as she set out three hot platters of cookies and put in three more to bake. She noticed Feedback come in.

"Hey, Feedback," she said. "Off on another mission?"

He nodded. "I'm worried about Sparkle though. I've been considering asking for assignments that won't take as long or take me so far that I can't be back in a few hours," he said. "I don't like seeing my little girl cry."

Rachel gave him a sympathetic look. "We don't seeing her cry, either," she said. "But a mission is a mission."

"True," he said. "I'll talk with Magister Tennyson about it. I'd like to be home more often so that I can see Sparkle grow up. She's going to be four soon."

"So she is," said the young woman. "Time does fly, doesn't it?"

Feedback nodded. "Are you sure you don't mind watching her while I'm off?"

Rachel smiled. "Feedback, you're my brother. I'd do anything to help you and I love watching Sparkle. Snare-Oh's gonna be here too while the others are off on assignments," she said. "So don't worry."

At that moment, Sparkle came in to the kitchen and saw her father had his backpack. "Another mission, Daddy?" she asked, looking sad.

"I'm afraid so, sweetie," he said as he kneeled to her height. "Your aunt Rachel and uncle Snare-Oh will be watching you while I'm gone. I want you on your best behavior."

Sparkle looked down. "Daddy, will you be gone for long?" she asked.

"I'll be gone for a week, honey."

She hugged her father. "Don't go, Daddy," she said, crying a little.

He held her. "I have to, Sparkle," he said. "Tell you what, when Daddy gets back, we'll have a father-daughter day, just the two of us. How does that sound?"

Sparkle looked up at him. "Promise, Daddy?" she asked him.

"I promise, sweetheart," he said with a smile. "Now, be good for your aunt and uncle."

"Yes, Daddy."

Feedback then left and Sparkle looked sad again. "Oh, sweetie," said Rachel, picking up her niece and hugging her. "Cheer up, pumpkin. Want to help finish making the cookies? I'm going to frost them later and can use a little helper."

The small Conductoid did perk up at that. She loved frosting cookies, although she often got more frosting on herself than the cookies. But as Rachel had plenty of frosting, she didn't mind and often took pictures of Sparkle covered in frosting to show the family. It was always a cute sight.

Now, Sparkle got to work on frosting the cookies that were cool enough to touch and Rachel took out the cookies that were ready and put another batch in. "You sure make a lot of cookies, Aunty," said Sparkle.

Rachel chuckled. "They go really fast around here," she said. "I can almost never keep the cookie jars full."

Because of the size of their family, Rachel had six cookie jars. One was a pumpkin, another was a snowman, along with a gingerbread house, a strawberry, a dolphin, and an owl. Once they were all filled up, she had some platters here and there for the other cookies.

Sparkle was having a blast decorating the cookies and Rachel would take the finished ones and fill the jars. They were done in no time and the last two batches were almost ready. One was cooling and the other was baking. Sparkle then began dancing around the kitchen with pink, green, white, and purple frosting all over her face and hands, making Rachel laugh as she set out more cookies for the little one to decorate while taking out the last batch.

The small Conductoid giggled as she continued to decorate and of course ate some cookies and frosting, but what little kid didn't do that? Rachel remembered her and Sasha doing the same thing as kids and their parents just thought it was so cute.

Finally, all the cookies were baked, decorated, and put in the cookie jars and on the platters. And Rachel and Sparkle were covered in frosting and sprinkles as was the entire kitchen floor, table, and the counters.

Rachel laughed and had the automatic vacuums come out to clean up the mess while she took Sparkle upstairs for a bath. While the Conductoid played in the tub, the young woman changed her clothes and put them in the wash. She then shook her head in amusement. Some chores were never ending, but with everyone taking turns, it wasn't so bad.

After Sparkle was finished with her bath, it was time for bed. Snare-Oh had come upstairs after hearing all the commotion and seeing how tired Rachel was, but Sparkle looked sad.

"What's wrong, my little sphinx?" he asked her.

"I wish Daddy was here," said Sparkle.

Both her aunt and uncle shared a look and then Snare-Oh got an idea and gently picked up his niece from where she had been sitting on her bed and he gently rocked her as he started to sing and Rachel, recognizing the song, smiled and joined in, singing the next part.

Then both Rachel and Snare-Oh sung together as Sparkle watched them and started to feel sleepy.

Sparkle was almost fully asleep when they finished the song and Rachel smiled. "Your daddy is always with you, honey. Even when he's not physically here," she said.

"Your aunt is right," said Snare-Oh. "Now, no more crocodile tears, or we'll have to tickle you."

Sparkle tried to stop her tears, but she was too sad to do so and so Rachel and Snare-Oh smiled and began tickling their niece.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! NO! AUNTY! UNCLE! THAT TICKLES!" the little Conductoid giggled and laughed as Rachel tickled her niece's stomach, sides, and ribs while Snare-Oh tickled his niece's neck, knees, and feet. Then both began tickling her underarms and Sparkle kept giggling.

"HEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!"

Her contagious laughter made her aunt and uncle laugh as then then finally gave her a break, letting her rest as a big smile stayed on her face.

"Look at that big smile," said Rachel, smiling. "Are you going to keep it on there, or do Uncle Snare-Oh and I have to tickle you again?"

Sparkle giggled when she saw them wiggle their fingers at her and then they tickled her again. She laughed and squirmed to get free, but they didn't let her up that easily.

"Cootchie cootchie coo! Who's our ticklish little niece?" Rachel teased as she then blew a raspberry into Sparkle's stomach, making the little Conductoid shriek with giggles.

"She so ticklish!" Snare-Oh teased as he also blew raspberries into Sparkle's stomach. "Cootchie cootchie coo!"

Then, after a few more minutes, Sparkle began coughing, which prompted her aunt and uncle to stop as she lay still, looking tired. "Sparkle? Are you okay, sweetie?" Rachel asked.

"Uh-huh," said Sparkle, nodding. "That was fun."

Both Rachel and Snare-Oh chuckled as they then tucked her in. "Don't worry, my little sphinx. We'll have a fun week and when your father gets home, you can tell him all about it," said Snare-Oh.

"Okay."

Sparkle then fell asleep and Rachel and Snare-Oh headed off to bed.

The week went by fast as Rachel and Snare-Oh were called to work, but one of them was always there to watch Sparkle and then it was the day when Feedback was coming home. He had called earlier and talked to them and Sparkle was ecstatic that her father was coming home and she waited eagerly by the door. A couple hours later, Feedback walked into the house and was tackled by Sparkle, who hugged him joyfully. "Daddy!" she giggled happily.

"Hello, sweetheart," he said, hugging her as he grinned. "Were you a good girl?"

Sparkle nodded and Snare-Oh and Rachel winked at Feedback, who chuckled. "Then let's have that father-daughter day," he said.

That evening, Feedback looked ready to crash and Sparkle looked tired too. "Have a fun day?" Rachel asked with a smile.

"Yeah," said Sparkle, smiling. "But I'm tired."

Snare-Oh chuckled. "Looks like both you and your father are ready to take the Dream Express," he said as he scooped up his niece and Rachel helped Feedback up the stairs. Once they were settled, Sparkle snuggled into her father, who hugged her and began singing.

Rachel and Snare-Oh listened as Rachel leaned against him and he wrapped his arm around her in a sibling embrace as they watched Feedback and Sparkle.

After the song, Feedback and Sparkle both fell asleep and Rachel and Snare-Oh followed suit, with that special song in their hearts.


End file.
